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Saturday, 11 June 2016

Rabbit fence and Shrubbery!

We had ridiculously cold weather a few days ago, but now it feels like summer again. It rained last night and it is threatening to rain again this morning, but the air is thick and warm and you could practically swim through it. If I could, I would include the scent of this morning in my post. It is heavy with the smell of the lilac tree, mock orange, and peonies. Be still my heart.

Last night, I asked husband for help to finish the rabbit fence. My vegetable garden will be considerably smaller (almost on the "cute" side) than previous years. The world domination strawberries take up 2/3 of the garden. No, I don't have them in rows. Yes, I regret not taking command of them and ruthlessly ripping some out and creating rows from the chaos, however they are ripening right now and they are incredible! No comparison to the tasteless midwinter nuggets that I buy in clear plastic containers.

The rabbit fence is literally just that. I am no longer willing to feed and sustain the growing rabbit population, regardless of how cute they are and how much I want to pet them. You can only replant so many times. Husband was disgusted with how I constructed this. He would have built a permanent fence and probably sunk posts into concrete, but I didn't want to wait for all of that, so teenager son and I started two days ago and husband helped to finish last night. Yup, it's just re-used tomato stakes (I use these in addition to tomato cages to keep big tomato plants upright), actual "rabbit fencing" that I bought in two rolls from the local farm supply store, and a bunch of staples. When husband said he would never have done it this way, I let him know that I wasn't trying to contain cattle with it, I was just keeping fluffy bunny rabbits away from my garden. He informed me that these rabbits wear little tool belts at night with wire cutters and it wouldn't keep them out for long.

You may notice that there doesn't seem to be any vegetables growing in my vegetable garden. I decided I wasn't going to plant a thing until there was a fence. But last night, I did put in some potatoes. A very small amount. It's going to be such a small garden.

What my vegetable garden lacks, my shrubbery (can't say that word, even in my head, without Monty Python and the Knights who say Ni popping up) is making up for . Here is a picture down by the pool of Gerald the Easter Island Head wearing his headdress of dappled willow and weigela. I cut that willow back really hard last fall and look at it now. I think I did not plan well when I planted that border because it is crowding out the shrubs beside it. Regardless, it puts on a beautiful show this time of year.

And I laughed out loud with your husband's remark about those cute and fluffy bunnies wearing little tool belts at night with wire cutters. They just might! LOL... But you know, I have built the same type of fencing as you have and it has worked. So there...LOL...

First, thank you for appreciating my link, to that blog. :-) It is a magical place, into which, to escape, is it not? :-))))))

Beautiful peonies! Here in upper NYS, ours are just beginning to bloom.

Good for you, with the rabbit-keep-out fence! And if your husband doesn't care for it, that is his problem. -pout- :-) Ahhh men, they can't do anything half way. Would want to pound those iron stakes into the ground! For bunnies! -gigggles-

I so agree! Wild bunnies and deer, may be cute, but we do not want to feed them too, with our gardens. Cute or not.

And your garden areas are lovely. I don't care for too planned gardens anyway. I like it, when something looks, like it just wanted to grow there! (She says, as she only plants some flowers in pots. >,-))

Hi Tessa. Actually, it always bothered me that my header was so huge. When I changed up my picture I happened to notice the tiny box I could have clicked any number of occasions before this which said something like "adjust to fit". Sigh. So yes, thank you, I like this size now too. -Jenn

We already had our blackfly "season". We are now on the cusp of mosquito season. And there is always the deer flies (or triangle flies) that follow you wherever you go, trying to land on your head and take a chunk out of you! -Jenn

I love the wild look of Gerald in the wigelia and willow!oh, rabbits...for being so "cute", they certainly are destructive. Good luck in keeping them (and their tiny little tool-belts) out of your garden. :)

About Me

I started blogging because I started reading people's blogs and really enjoyed them. I have always been a writer. I've kept a journal since I was a teenager (which was quite some time ago!), I wrote stories as a child, and I think things through by writing them down and getting them out of my brain. At the moment I blog about my life without getting too personal. I get a little thrill when someone leaves a comment, so I try to comment on other people's blogs as well. So... go ahead... make my day.

About Me

I am a wife and mother of a twenty-one year-old and a seventeen-year-old living in rural Ontario, Canada. Join me in my journey through gardening, motherhood, living in a century-plus home, surviving husband projects (give me strength), and working full time. I love reading, nature, laughing, small furry animals, and a good cup of coffee on the porch (or perhaps a glass of red wine depending on the day!).